Game



June 24, 1941.

J. W. PATTERSON GAME Filed Dec. 22, 1939 Z! dosep/v W. Wafzenson.

Patented June 24, 1941 amass GAME.

Joseph W. Patterson, Tulsa, Okla, assignor to Parker Brothers, Incorporated, Salem, Mass, a corporation of Maine Application December 22, 1939, Serial No. 310,565

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in games.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved game which is simple and easy to play and which is appealing and interesting to persons of all ages.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved game including a plurality of blocks mounted for rotation in a support, each block having a plurality of sides, with each side being distinguished from the other sides by suitable indicia, the purpose of the game being to position the corresponding indicia of the various blocks in a predetermined manner by rotation of the blocks in accordance with the rules of the game.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved game wherein a plurality of blocks, each having a general hexagonal shape, are mounted within a container so that the lower half, which includes three sides thereof, is concealed from view and also so that rotation of the blocksmay be accomplished; each block having one side blank with the other five sides carrying the numerals 1 to 5, said numerals being on different sides or positions on the various blocks, whereby no two blocks are identical and the numerical combinations of each block are dissimilar from all other blocks.

Still another object of the invention is to provide playing blocks, of the character described, for use in playing a game in which two or more persons may participate; the game lending itself to various modifications and ramifications, whereby in effect, a number of difierent and interesting games may be played with said blocks.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of two sets of the playing blocks employed in playing the improved game,

Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, taken through one of the blocks,

Figure 3 is a partial isometric view of the base or support in which the blocks are mounted,

Figure l is an isometric view of one of the blocks,

Figure 5 is a similar view, taken from the side opposite that of Figure 4, and

ure 6 is an isometric view of one set of blocks with said blocks moved to a position different from that shown in Figure 1.

In the drawing, the numeral l0 designates an elongate base or support which has a general rectangular shape. The base is formed with an elongate recess I l which has a fiat bottom l2 and inclined sides 83. A plurality of blocks A, B, C, D and E are mounted within the recess H of the base, and, as shown, five blocks are provided. The blocks abut each other within the base and are capable of individual movement therein. It is noted that the recess II in the base is of sufii- "cient length to accommodate said blocks which may vary in number.

Each block is illustrated as hexagonal in shape, being provided with six sides 54, la, l lb, 14c, lid and Me. The sides of the block correspond generally in length and angle to the width of the bottom i2 and the length of the inclined sides l3 of the recess H in the base Ell, whereby when each block is positioned within said recess, the lower half of said block is concealed from view. The blocks have a relatively loose fit within the recess (Figure 2) so as to permit the blocks to be rotated within the base. Such rotation will, of course, change the position of the sides of the block, whereby a particular side will be positioned uppermost.

The block A, which is shown in Figures 4 and 5, is illustrated as having its side l4 blank with no indicia thereon. The side Ma has the numeral 4 thereon, the side Nib displays the numeral 3, the side I40 has the numeral 5, ltd the numeral 2 and the side Hie the numeral 1. Thus, reading around the block A in a counterclockwise direction (Figure l) the sides display a blank, 4, 3, 5, 2 and 1. The remaining blocks, B to E, each have their side It blank, and also have the numerals 1 to 5 displayed on the remaining five sides. However, the numerals are arranged in a different order on each block, as for example, the side I la. of the block B carries the numeral 2 instead of the numeral 4, as does the side lid of the block A. Similarly the spaces Ida of the other blocks C, D and E have different numerals thereon, as is clearly shown in Figure 1. Thus, when all of the blank spaces i l of the various blocks A to E are alined (Figure 1), the spaces I ia of the said blocks all carry different numerals. In other words, the numerical combination, that is, the arrangement of the numerals on the sides o-f each block, is dissimilar from the combination or arrangement on the other blocks.

In playing the game with the blocks, as above described, each player is provided with one complete set of blocks, that is, a base It having five blocks therein. Two such complete sets of blocks are illustrated in Figure l and for the purpose of this description, it will be presumed that two players are participating in the game. Each player places his set on the table in front of him and rotates the blocks within the base so that the blank sides M of all of the blocks are uppermost, as is indicated in Figure 1. Obviously, the sides of the blocks which are closest to the player are visible only to that player, being concealed from the other players. These sides are the sides Ma of said blocks in Figure l. The other player in the game arranges his blocks within his tray so that the blank sides l4 thereof are uppermost, whereby the sides of said blocks closest to that player are visible only to him. It is pointed out that the numerical combinations on one set of blocks are different from the numerical combinations on other sets of blocks, whereby when the blanks M of one set are uppermost, certain numerals in that set are arranged in the row visible to the player, while when the blanks in the other set are uppermost, diiferent numerals are located in the row visible to the other player.

In starting the play, either player may make the first move and, in making the first move, the player rotates any one of his blocks three spaces withinthe tray Iii. Such rotation of one of the blocks moves the blank M around three spaces, whereby a numeral is disposed uppermost. This numeral determines the number of spaces which the opponent may move. For example, if the player rotates one of the blocks three spaces and the numeral 5 is uppermost after the move is complete, then the opposing player must rotate one of his blocks five spaces within the tray H3.

The number which is uppermost on the block just moved then controls the number of spaces The above game, the rules of which have been described herein, is merely one example of how the blocks may be employed and it is noted that various modifications of such rules may be worked out. For example, one set of blocks could be employed by two persons. In such instance,

the tray would be placed in the center of the except the block which had been moved byhis which the opponent may rotate another block.

The play continues in this manner until one player has manipulated his blocks so as to aline a similar numeral on all of the blocks in the row which is visible to that player. In other words, the object of the game is to locate the same numeral on all blocks in; that row visible to the player. As clearly shown in Figure (i, the numeral 3 on each block has been located in the row visible to the player manipulating the blocks and, upon one player reaching this objective, the game is .at an end. Of course, the above described movement could comprise one hand and a suitable scoring arrangement could be provided. For example, whenever a player alines his blocks so that the row facing him has numbers which are all 5s, then the player receives twenty-five points. All 4s in. the row could count twenty, all 3s fifteen, etc. for each .row of numerals. Any desired total, as for example one hundred ten points, could comprise a complete game. It is noted that in making the moves or in rotating the blocks, the rotation should always be in one direction, preferably toward the player.

After one player has located the like numerals in the row facing him, the blocks of both players may be removed from the trays l6 and shuflled, after which each player selects fiveblocks and the game is continued in the'same manner. The game is simple and easy to play and is interesting to persons, of all ages. There are no complicated rules to remember, since each move is controlled by the number turned up by the preceding move of an opponent. Although each block is shown as hexagon-a1 and provided with six sides, it is obvious that the number of sides which each block has may vary. It is preferable that the blocks be mounted in a tray or base as shown because, with such tray, the lower half of the block is concealed from the view of all players; however, if desired another type of mounting could be employed.

opponent on the preceding play.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the suspended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Fatent is:

1. A device for use in a game of the class described, comprising a set of prism-shaped blocks each having at least four faces bearing identifying indicia to distinguish one face from another, and an elongate tray-like support for removably holding said blocks in axial alignment so that each may be freely rotated independently of the others, the cross sectional shape of said support being such as to hold each of said blocks so that when the device is positioned between two opposing players, one of the upper faces is exposed only to one playenanotherof the upper faces is exposed to the other player, and the lower faces are concealed.

2. A device for use in a game of the class described comprising a set of prism-shaped blocks each having at least four faces bearing identify-- ing characters to distinguish one face from another, the arrangement of characters on the faces of one block being dissimilar to the arrangement of characters on the face of the other blocks, and an elongate tray-like support for removably holding said blocks in axial alignment so that each may be freely rotated independently of the others, the cross sectional 'shapeof said support being such as to hold each of said blocks so that when the device is positioned between two opposing players, one of the upper faces is exposed only to one player, another of the upper faces is exposed to the other player, and the lower faces are concealed.

3. A device for use in a .game of the class described comprising a set of hexagonal-prismshaped blocks, one of the faces of each block being blank and the remaining faces 'each' bearing identifying characters, and an elongate traylike support of semi-hexagonal cross section for removably holding said set of blocks in axial alignment so that each may be freely rotatedindependently of the others, the sides of said support holding said blocks so that when the device is positioned between two: opposing players one of the upper faces of each block is exposed only to one player, another faceisexposed only to the other player, the top face is exposed to both players, and the then lower faces are con: cealed.

JOSEPH W. PATTERSON. 

